The Switch
by O Playa
Summary: The sequel. When Pony recieves Johnny's old switchblade, there is something mysterious about it. Can Ponyboy and the gang prove something no one has suspected?
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'The Outsiders'. All Characters, Names and Places are owned by S.E. Hinton, Viking Publishing and Puffin Publishing Press. Do not copy, steal or simulate ideas and text. Enjoy! :)  
"The Switch"  
Chapter 1  
  
I woke up the next morning flat-faced on my table. "Oh god!" I thought nervously. I had fallen asleep. I rushed to the living room and looked at our old grandfather clock, it was noon. I put on my Jeans and a T-Shirt and rushed to school.  
  
"Ponyboy." Mr. Syme said in a worried tone as I entered the classroom.  
  
"Why are you late?"  
  
"Sorry. I. Fell Asleep. Writing." I managed to say between heavy pants. I walked slowly to his desk and handed him my essay.  
  
"Here." I said. "90 pages. Wrote. It all last night."  
  
He was shocked, I walked to my desk and dropped on my seat. The class passed slowly, as usual. Mr. Syme was reading us Shakespeare passages, and I wanted to beat it. Right at: "Where for art thou Romeo?" is when I fell asleep.  
  
"Johnny!" I yelled, chasing him down the street. He didn't turn, he just kept running. "Johnny!" I yelled again. I was the best runner in the grade, why couldn't I catch up to him? I finally sped up, and caught up to him. I grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face me. But it wasn't Johnny, it was someone else. The face looked familiar, but I couldn't remember who it was. Then, Johnny, or whoever it was, walked backwards and disappeared.  
  
"Ponyboy." I heard a voice say.  
  
"Mmm?" I answered.  
  
"Ponyboy. Wake up." It was Mr. Syme.  
  
"Mr. Syme!" I jumped to my feet.  
  
"I am sorry! I didn't mean-"  
  
"Relax, Ponyboy." He said in a soothing voice.  
  
"Go home and get some rest, I understand what you've been going through."  
  
"Oh, um. Alright." I said and left the classroom. I saw Randy in the hall, and as our eyes met, he quickly looked away.  
  
I got home at 3:20, nobody was home, as usual. First thing I did was walk to the icebox in search of a chocolate cake. I grabbed the biggest piece and closed the icebox, when something caught my eye. On the icebox was a picture of Soda and Sandy. I looked at it for a few minutes.  
  
"She was one good-looking broad, wasn't she?" I jumped. Soda was standing right behind me. But he never heard my answer, he handed me a package.  
  
"This just came in the mail, for you." He said. And he looked just as surprised as I was, I never get mail. I ran to my room and jumped on the bed. I looked around the package for the return address, but there was none. I opened the package slowly and cautiously; I recognized what was in it instantly, how could I ever forget?  
In it was Johnny's switchblade.  
At that moment I felt sad and happy at the same time.  
  
I examined the blade, the blade that had killed three people, Bob, Johnny and Dally. If Bob weren't dead Johnny and Dally would still be alive. I then examined it again, this was the only thing left of Johnny.  
  
I walked back to the living room and found Soda outstretched on the Sofa, with Elvis br Presley turned on full volume.  
  
"What was in it?" He asked, and tears filled my eyes.  
  
"It was Johnny's switchblade." I said promptly, trembling. Soda immediately got up to his feet.  
  
"Oh Pony." He said nervously, and hugged me.  
  
"Who sent it?" He asked what was on my mind.  
  
"I don't know." I said, determined to find out.  
  
The door opened and Darry came in.  
  
"Hey Pony, Hey Soda." He said, and by the look on our faces he knew something was going on. We told him what had happened and he seemed as confused as we were.  
  
When Darry offered me dinner I refused. I couldn't eat.  
  
I just laid in my bed and looked at the switchblade. I missed Johnny so much, and it was like I was holding Johnny when I held the switchblade. I couldn't help but smell it, and it smelled like stale Tobacco and alcohol. I fell asleep, with a million questions on my mind. 


	2. Chapter 2

"The Switch"  
Chapter 2  
  
Soda's arm was the only thing to comfort me that night. I barley slept, I just looked at the Switchblade and cried. Both from hatred and love. I hated that Switchblade, if it weren't for it, Johnny would still be alive. But then, if it weren't for it, I wouldn't have had anything to remember Johnny by. When the sun finally rose, I had realized that I wasn't going to fall asleep no matter what. I walked tiptoed to the kitchen and drank some chocolate milk. I put the bottle back in the icebox and started walking back to my room.  
  
"Oh hell," I thought. "It's a beautiful morning... Might as well run a little."  
  
I went back to my room and put on my track pants. I then searched my closet for my running shoes and put them on. I walked passed Darry's room and stared at him for a few seconds. Gosh, people do look younger when they're sleeping, but then I realized that I had always thought of Darry as an adult, just recently I understood that he was only twenty.  
  
I wrote Darry a little note saying I'll be back at around eight-ish. I walked out the door silently and stretched for a minute on the porch. I then started running, I passed the vacant lot, passed the Nightly Double, passed the school, passed Randy sleeping on the sidewalk. It hit me. Randy was sleeping on the sidewalk. What's the deal?  
  
I ran across the street and examined him. He had a puddle near him that smelled oddly like alcohol. Randy was boozed. He was breathing, that was a good sign. Well, I wasn't gonna wake him up, it's his own damn fault he was still drinking. I was just about to leave when his eyes opened.  
  
"Ponyboy!" He half-yelled, half-muttered.  
  
He was gasping loudly. I took a few steps back, whether I was scared of him or because he smelled bad. A familiar smell. Alcohol and... Stale tobacco. I stared at him. He started to fade away and I dropped peacefully onto the solid ground.  
  
When I woke up next I was, not to my surprise, in the hospital. I wondered vaguely what I was in for this time. Then I remembered, Randy. And the smell, which smelled just like Johnny's switchblade. I looked around the hospital room, only Soda was there.  
  
"Hey Pony." He said, in a calmed tone.  
  
"I passed out, huh?" I asked rhetorically.  
  
"Yeah. The docs here know you by now." Soda said tiredly.  
  
"I reckon." I said, giving Soda a hungry look. He understood it, and tossed me a pack of cigarettes. You gotta love Soda, without him, I don't know what I'll do.  
  
"Doc said you'll be outta here soon, just a few more checkups." He explained, I didn't care. I lit my cigarette up and smoked it.  
  
"Ah, hell." I said getting out of the bed. "I don't care."  
  
I had better things to do then lay on a bed all day, like finding Randy.  
  
Easier said than done. 


End file.
